River City Bicycles ad creator Andrew Reed in a cyclocross race.
(Photo courtesy Reed.)

He’s co-created major TV ads, like this one launching Apple’s iPad Air. He led the team that came up with Oregon Humane Society’s “End Petlessness” campaign and the concept for Oregon Public Broadcasting’s signature news show, Think Out Loud.

One year, in a gig he’s still sheepish about, he commuted weekly from California to Detroit to do ad work for Chevrolet.

But about 20 times each year for the last decade, Andrew Reed has sat down with Adobe Illustrator to put together River City Bicycles‘ quarter-page black and white ad for page 3 of Willamette Week.

“I can’t think of another bike shop in the country that does this,” said Reed, a freelance creative director who moved from Portland to Los Angeles in 2012, in a phone interview Thursday. “It’s kind of a life’s work kind of thing.”

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Ramp outside River City Bicycles.
(Photo: Dave Guettler)

About a week ago, River City Bicycles built a concrete quarter-pipe in their parking lot outside their store on SE Martin Luther King Blvd just north of the Morrison Bridge. Shop owner Dave Guettler installed the ramp so employees and customers could practice tricks and have a bit of fun.

Guettler had no idea that it might help save a woman’s life.

According to Guettler, the ramp has become an instant hit with local skateboarders. “They were out there last night for several hours trying to nail a trick.” Then, around 6:00 pm (during shop hours), the skateboarders heard a woman screaming inside a car that was parked in the shop’s parking lot.
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This corner building at SE 6th and Belmont
will soon be the River City Bicycles Outlet store.

River City Bicycles has purchased a new, 5,000 square foot building that will soon become a new outlet store selling discounted bikes and clothing just a few blocks from their existing location. The River City Bicycles Outlet is set to open for business in the next few weeks at 534 SE Belmont (the southwest corner of 6th and Belmont).
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David Guettler showing off his
BRAINy Award at Cross Vegas
last night.
(Photo © J. Maus)

David Guettler, owner of River City Bicycles in Portland’s central eastside, was named Retailer of the Year by Bicycle Retailer and Industry News at an award ceremony last night following the first day of the Interbike trade show.

I bumped into an ecstatic Guettler at the Cross Vegas race shortly after the awards ceremony. Guettler has been in the bike industry for 31 years and says this is by far the biggest honor of his career. “I’m still floating from the awards ceremony… this is a big deal!” Guettler said being a part of the bike industry is such an honor because the bicycle is such a powerful force for good that can help solve so many of our world’s problems. “I think this is the most important industry in the world. To be selected by my peers… it’s just staggering.” (more…)

[Publisher's note: This story was published yesterday on Page Two, but since it's so darn beautiful outside right now, and because this is such a great resource, I thought it needed a bit more attention.]

Screenshot of RubbertotheRoad.com

River City Bicycles’ Rubber to the Road guidebooks have long been a popular way to learn about great rides in our region. Now the books have a useful, web-based complement at RubbertotheRoad.com.

The website has a ton of great rides listed, complete with turn-by-turn directions and an interactive GPS-powered map. Here’s more about it from the latest River City Bicycles newsletter: (more…)

If you watch local network television, you might be surprised to see a commercial for River City Bicycles. It’s not typical for a local bike shop to produce a TV ad, but River City’s Dave Guettler, is not a typical bike shop owner.

Guettler is known for his creative ad campaigns. Back in March, BikePortland contributor Carl Larson wrote that his ads go “beyond the ordinary”. (more…)